Kolkata Metro's Orange Line Extension Till Sector V Likely by December 2026
Kolkata, May 15: Kolkata Metro Railway is set to extend its Orange Line services to Sector V by December 2026. Essential viaduct work at the Chingrighata crossing begins this Friday, bridging a critical gap between southern suburbs and Sector V.
Current Status and Gap
Currently, trains in the New Garia-Airport corridor run from New Garia up to Beleghata station at Metropolitan on EM Bypass. Work to fill a crucial 366m gap in viaduct at the Chingrighata crossing would finally begin on Friday, which would facilitate the extension till Sector V. The viaduct work between Metropolitan and Sector V, barring the 366m stretch at Chingrighata, is almost complete.
Traffic Block Schedule
"We are optimistic that train services may start between Metropolitan and Sector V by December 2026," said S S Kannan, CPRO, Metro Railway. In the first phase, a 60-hour traffic block will be in place from Friday 8 pm to Monday 8 am. Again from May 22 to 25, there will be another 60-hour traffic block to launch the second segment. Kolkata Police has granted the traffic block.
Construction Details
Two overhead concrete segments or girders will be placed to join piers 317 to 319 at the busy Chingrighata crossing in two phases over the next two weekends. This weekend, work will involve placing concrete girders between piers 317 and 318 on the Ultadanga-bound flank of EM Bypass. In the second phase, starting next Friday, girders will be placed between piers 318 and 319.
Court Intervention
Given the delay in granting permission for the traffic block, a PIL was filed in the high court, which fixed February 2026 as the date for Kolkata Police to grant the block. The former Trinamool-led government moved the Supreme Court against the order, but the SC ordered immediate granting of the traffic block, stating that the work was being executed with public money. RVNL presented an IIT-Kharagpur report supporting the need for 60-hour blocks for stronger construction and safety.